Well it's been an exciting week both on and off the football field, we have some new NFL coaching hires and a legendary coach leaving. We have a great exciting and historic Super Bowl matchup coming up and for those of you who are hockey fans we have the All Star Game on Wednesday night and a lot of exciting college and pro basketball as well.
First we'll start out with the Super Bowl matchup and I like it because both teams the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis formerly Baltimore Colts are historic franchises who haven't been there in awhile, we have a future Hall of Fame quarterback the Colts Peyton Manning who finally made the Super Bowl and got past his nemesis team the great New England Patriots in the AFC and the Bears who are a long standing traditional franchise who got past another great feel good story team the New Orleans Saints in the NFC.
Also in a historic and cultural aspect there are two African American coaches Tony Dungy of the Colts and Lovie Smith of the Bears who are in the Super Bowl for the first time, but I just like to think of them as great coaches and football people so we'll leave it that although there is the historical aspect since two African American coaches are coaching in the game for the first time and people will mention and recognize it and while it is a big deal they should also be recognized as great coaches in the big game and that's the way I'll look at it from here. Also incidentally the Steelers hired Mike Tomlin another African American coach and while I know little about him, with the Rooneys history of hiring two great coaches the last 38 years in Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher I am hoping the Steelers will have similar success with their new head coach. Hopefully Mike Tomlin will have similar success in Pittsburgh and with the Rooney rule named after Dan Rooney in Pittsburgh to interview at least one minority candidate, I think it is a significant and good hire to hire an African American in Mike Tomlin as well. One other note, I like talking sports and not necessarily focusing on racial aspects of it, but I thought it was important here so I've hopefully been respectful, we'll leave it at that and go on talking more about sports.
Another great NFL coach Bill Parcells of the Dallas Cowboys decided to step down and while it was sad to see and I thought he had a few more years of coaching it was time for him to step down at 65 years of age, refocus and see what he wants to do with the rest of his life and career. I dont think the Terrell Owens situation had a lot to do with Parcells leaving. I think Parcells was just mainly burnt out and it was time to do whatever he does next. He didn't have the success he and the fans wanted in Dallas but I think that had to do more with the players and a young team than anything rather than his coaching. Being successful and winning a championship takes a lot of time, hard work and some luck and I don't think but hope that Parcells won't be judged on his time in Dallas because he had a lesser team than he did at some of his other stops. And after winning two Super Bowls in New York where could he really go with his career from there. Unless he won more Super Bowls he wouldn't be judged as good as his time in New York and those championship years in New York would probably be judged as being better anyways so it was kind of a no win situation for Parcells anyways and he has retired again when he was ready to leave.
As for the Super Bowl I'm looking forward to a good game between the Bears and the Colts. As I said Peyton Manning he is finally in the big game whether he wins or loses although a Super Bowl win will definetly increase his legacy along with the big win over the Patriots. Also I think that Rex Grossman is definetly underrated as a quarterback. While nobody's perfect and he is harshly judged as the Chicago quarterback, he has come on got through his mistakes and gotten his team to the Super Bowl with a 19-6 career record so I think people should be quiet about Rex Grossman at least for the moment and appreciate what he and the Bears have done to get to this point being in the Super Bowl. As for the game I don't think it will be a blowout about 7-10 points either way and I'm picking the Bears by about 3-4 points in a mild upset, but we've all been wrong so I'll be interested to hear what you think. Enjoy the coverage and enjoy the game because NFL football wont be back for 6-7 months as far as games are played, a long offseson indeed for all of us football fanatics.
Finally you know I'm a hockey fan and I'm looking forwaed to the NHL All Star Game being played in Dallas. Now I know All Star games aren't the greatest and not all of you sports fans are into hockey, but I enjoy the fast paced excitement of it and this week in Dallas they had some All Star festivities before the game which I didn't get to attend unfortunately because of work, but they had a celebration for 1999 Dallas Stars Stanley Cup winning team and they had the Stanley Cup there which I've always wanted to see and touch. Oh well I probably couldn't touch it but after seeing the Steelers and Packers Super Bowl trophies at their team facilities it would have been neat to see the Stanley Cup which is arguably the best, oldest since 1893 and most distinguished trophy in sports no matter what people think of hockey. I mean players, coaches and some lucky fans drink from the Cup when they win. Name a trophy in another sport where you can do that. Oh wel somewhere along the line I'll see the Stanley Cup someday. In the meantime we'll just keep rooting and watching sports as fans and by the way I did get to wear Rocky Bleier of the 1970s Steeler championship teams four Super Bowl rings on my fingers so how lucky was I there! I met him at a speaking convention where he spoke and I still e-mail him occasionaly to this day. I also met Terry Bradshaw in a similar circumstance. Anyways have great and productive days and best wishes as always. Best wishes friends and talk to you later.
Good stuff. I'm really looking foward to seeing what Tomlin does. The first good move was keeping Labeau as defensive coordinator. It will be interesting as far as Grimm goes. I think he might feel a little power struggle keeping him on, but we'll have to see on that too.
Hey fenfan, good point you made about the NFL not coming back for 6-7 months. Since you put it that way, I will be watching the Super Bowl with even more interest. Thanks for reminding me of that fact. I haven't been able to pick these playoff games worth a #### so far, but they sure have been interesting. The more I hear about the Colts winning, the more I think the Bears will win. I like your mild upset prediction. Which is probably really bad news for you. I have to believe the Steelers hired the right guy, based on their history. I guess time will tell. I think Parcells has had enough, and probably wishes he had spent the last few years talking football on the weekends and fishing or spending time with family during the week, instead of dealing with today's players. Just my thoughts. I used to be a big hockey fan, but I'll admit it, I don't watch it much anymore. College hockey games at the U. of North Dakota were some of the best sporting events I have seen to this day. And I'll never forget the Bruins of the Bobby Orr era or the Islanders of the early '80s. Incredible teams and playes.
Tell Rocky I respect him as a player. And you as a blogger. Take care, fenfan. Talk to you soon.
As a Cowboy fan I hated to see Parcells go, not just as a coach but as a person. In reading the Cowboys website he often was interviewed and his comments always had common sense behind them. A bright guy with a big heart. I think age just caught up with him. He'll sure be missed.
I love taking about all sports in general although I tend to follow team sports more because I tend to follow teams more than individuals. That's why I don't have any favorite players listed at this time. Feel free to talk about most anything in sports with me. I don't know everything about sports, but I wish I did because maybe then I'd be in the sports profession. Anyway sports is my passion and I'd love to talk about it with you and become your sports friend so stop by anytime and we'll talk sports!
